The Guest
by Meino Nanako
Summary: Fuji run away from his house to Echizen. The regulars try to convince him to return home. But the tensai seems to hide something from them. My first fic, please be easy on me!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Pot belongs to the greatest Konomi Takashi. Thank you so much for making it! **

AN: Ok, this is my first attempt to write something in English. I know it's terrible but please be easy on me. I swear I did my best and didn't move my nose away from the dictionary.

My only way to improve is to write, so I will be really grateful if you correct me when you find mistakes. But **please** don't be too much harsh with me. If you do, I might get really upset and not write ever again!

And it's really not the purpose of this fandom. Right? 0.0

**Chapter one **

Echizen Ryoma opened the door of his house and found Fuji Syusuke standing there, smiling and holding a suitcase. The younger boy blinked, stared and blinked again.

"F-Fuji-senpai?"

"Good Evening Echizen-kun," The tensai greeted politely. "Can I sleep here tonight?"

Ryoma's first instinct was to slam the door on his senpai and to return to his room, but it was too late for him to do so, since his father who was nearby also heard the talking and came to see who it was. He stared at Fuji in confusion and then turned to look at his son grinning. "Well. Well. Who could have guess my son will get a visit from such nice lady."

"Dad!" Ryoma needed the all power he could get for not shouting at his old man. "It's not a girl. It's is Fuji-senpai, One of my teammate.

"Oh…eh…"

Nanjiro was about to apology but Fuji only laughed. "It's fine. Things like that always happen to me."

Nanjiro returned to smile. "Oh so it's fine then. So what brings a nice boy like you to visit a brat like my son so late at night?"

Fuji stopped smiling and turned serious. "Will it be fine for me to stay here over the night? I ran away from my house and I don't have anywhere else to go."

For a moment Nanjiro and his son stared at each in confusion without saying a word and then Nanjiro turned to Fuji and smiled again. "Well, it's very cold outside. Why don't you come inside so we will be able to talk?"

Fuji went inside the house and Ryoma was about to follow, but his dad prevented him from doing so. "And as for you, lazy brat, return and bring your friend's suitcase. Is it the way I teach you how to treat our guests?"

"You have never taught me anything other than tennis." Echizen complained but did as he was told.

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Nanjiro, Ryoma and Fuji were sitting in the guess room, drinking from the tea that Meino had served them. "So…" Nanjiro began. "Do your parents know where you are?"

Ryoma almost slapped his forehead. "All the meaning of running away from the house is not to be found."

Nanjiro ignored his son's comment and continued to watch Fuji who lowered his head toward the ground. "I think it's the best thing for you to call them." He told him softly. "they must be really worried by now."

Fuji shook his head sadly, "All my parents care about is money and that stupid Steve."

"Steve?" Ryoma repeated. "Who's that?"

Fuji took a deep breath before answering. "Steve is my sister's new boyfriend. She met him at her university. He is an American and new at Japan, so she invited him to our house until he found an arrangement."

"And don't you get alone?" Nanjiro asked.

Fuji shook his head slowly. "You might say I am paranoid. But I really don't like this guy. He is very important to Yumiko however, and she wants to join him to America in the summer."

"Did you try to talk with you parents about that?"

Fuji sighed. "They didn't listen to me. Steve came from a very rich family so they encourage this relationship and claim I am too young for understanding about these kind of things. That's why I left the house. And I am not planning to return as long as Steve stays there."

Ryoma raised an elbow. He really respected his senpai, but on this subject he agreed with the parents. Over his year at Seigaku he studied the tensai well enough to know how he could become very protecting over his friends and family, most of the time with unneeded extremism.

Ryoma believed that Fuji needed to learn how to keep himself from other people's business and he was sure enough that he would be scolded by his dad and would be sent home. For that reason he got surprised from the upcoming words of his father:

"Well, I can't see any reason for you not to stay here until you handle the problems with your family. But only on one condition, you must call them right away and tell them you're okay."

Ryoma nearly choked on his tea and Fuji smiled happily, "really? Am I allowing me to stay? Thanks you so much!" He bowed. "I promise I not to cause any problem, and I will do all of the house chores!"

Nanjiro laughed awkwardly. "It won't be necessary. Nanako might get really upset if she finds out you took those duties from her. And beside, I am sure it will be really useful for my son to have an elder brother in the house."

Fuji seemed to take those words deeply to heart. He opened his eyes and stared at the very awkward Ryoma and then returned to look at Nanjiro. "I promise to see in your son a second brother to me."

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"Dad!" Ryoma whispered angrily later on in the kitchen while Fuji went with Nanako to see his room. "Why did you take Fuji-senpai so seriously? Don't you understand how irritated and suspicious he can be with people who dare to befriend with his family? And even if he had a point about that Steve, it's really not a solution to run away from home. By helping him you only encourage his acts!"

"Nonsense boy," Scolded him Nanjiro. "Fuji Syusuke seemed really nice and honest to me, and I'm sure you can study a lot from him. And beside…" Nanjiro seemed very proud suddenly. "He came to my temple for asking my help, so it's my obligate to assist him."

Ryoma slapped hard on his forehead. "You only make the situation worse. Believe me that Fuji can take care of himself. But if you still have a great desire to help someone, you might start with that Steve, after Fuji signaling him.

"Nonsense…" Nanjiro glared at his son and looked around carefully making sure no one was listening before speaking again. "That boy left his house and was ready to live with a brat like you. I am sure he had a very good reason to do so, and I am honestly afraid something much more drastic happened between him and Steve than he was ready to tell us, so be nice with him." Saying that, Nanjiro left the kitchen and Ryoma rolled his eyes. Talking to his father was more difficult than talking to a stone.

Fuji appeared in the room suddenly, and seemed quite cheerful for someone who passed something as drastic as running away from the house. "Ryoma-kun, Guest what? Your cousin allowed me to help her with breakfast tomorrow morning! Won't it be great?"

Ryoma lowered his head and sighed tiredly. "If you need anything I'm in my room with Karupin." He mumbled more to himself, and left the kitchen.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

"Fuji! Put it down!"

"C'mon Ryoma-kun," Fuji smiled while reading from Echizen's notebook. "I'm only checking the homework to make sure my new baby brother won't get troubles at school."

On that moment Echizen's glance could rival successfully with Tezuka's. "Call me like that once more, and you will lose an eye. Now put it down and get out of my room!"

"Fine, fine," Fuji chuckled a little and let go of the notebook. "Anyway I have to go and to set up the table for breakfast."

"Don't make a dish for me." Ryoma mumbled. "I am not eating."

Fuji dropped his smile. "You don't want to have breakfast with me? But it's my first opportunity to eat with my new family."

Echizen had enough. He took one step forward his senpai fisting his hand. "WE ARE NOT YOUR NEW FAMILY! Only my foolish old man agreed to have you here. All the other normal members of my family are smart enough to know that the best place for you is your own house…"

Ryoma's eyes were widened suddenly. "Karupin, What are you doing? Stay away from him!" Ryoma watched with horror his cat rubbing Fuji's leg. The tensai chuckled, kneeled down and collected the cat into his arms.

"Put him down! Can't you see you are frightening him?"

Karupin however seemed liking his new position at Fuji's arms and it hadn't taken long before he fell a sleep. "You know, Ryoma-kun," Fuji smiled while staring at the cat. "He's really cute. You are so lucky for having him. My parents don't allow me to have my own pet…Eh, Ryoma-kun? Where are you going?" Fuji stared in confusion at Ryoma who stepped outside the room.

"…To the bathroom, to get dress." The boy answered angrily. "Since it doesn't seem to me like you or that traitor are planning to leave."

Echizen slammed the door behind him as Fuji watched him sadly.

"Ryoma-kun,"

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"Oh, so cute!" Meino smiled happily as she saw Fuji going down the stairs with Karupin still in his arms.

"He seems liking you a lot. Most of the time he doesn't get very well with strangers."

Fuji sighed sadly as he collapsed on the chair next to Meino. "I just wise it would have been the same thing with Ryoma. He keeps being angry with me and I don't get why."

"Ha, don't get excited over that boy." Nanjiro was sitting on the other side of the table and didn't bother to remove his gaze from his newspaper. "He doesn't like anyone other than this cat and himself."

"But yet…" Fuji stared sadly at his dish without touching the food. "Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come here after all. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. Maybe it will be the best thing if I go to my friend at Chibe-"

"I cannot let you do that." Nanjiro said while kept reading. "I promised to your parents yesterday at the phone that I will take care on you. I might easily break up the promise if I allow you wandering around this country."

Meino put her hand on the tensai shoulder and gave him soft smile. "You're one of us now, and we don't want you to get in troubles."

Fuji retuned her slight smile. "But yet, I don't want disturbed anyone with my presence here."

At that moment Ryoma get down the stairs wearing his school uniform. "I'm leaving."

Fuji stared at him in hesitation. "Don't you want to wait for me, so we'll go together?"

"No."

"Ryoma!"

Nanjiro scolded his son. "What did I say to you yesterday about being nice with Fuji? If you don't wait for him to finish the food and to walk with him to school, I won't play tennis with you anymore."

"Fine!" Ryoma shouted angrily. "I will go with him to school if he wants that so much!"

"Will you?" Fuji smiled happily, "That's great!"

Ryoma glanced at him. "Just get ready fast, or we will be late for practice."

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"There is something I haven't got yet." Echizen said to Fuji when they were walking down the street heading to their school. "Aside from you and me there are still seven regulars in our team."

Fuji made the calculation in his head, "Correct. What about that?"

"Couldn't you go to their place instead?"

"Well…" Fuji began. "I couldn't come to Eiji's house since he already has a very large family and for the same reason I didn't go to Momo. I also didn't want to disturb Taka-san's family business, and was afraid that Oishi might freak out by hearing I ran away, and call the police. So beside you, it only left Tezuka, Inui and Kaidoh. I don't think Tezuka took seriously my announcement of running away, since he only told me to stop fooling around and to go home. Inui said he couldn't accept me since there was 97.00 chance I'd try to read from his notebooks, and Kaidoh was practicing outside his house, so I couldn't find him."

"So was I your last choice?"

"Well, yes."

"I see," Echizen said but didn't look disturbing from the fact. The two boys continued walking in silence. They were two blocks away from their school when Fuji stopped suddenly and stared with horror at the corner of the street.

Two big men in funny brown suits were standing there and stared at Fuji through their sunglasses.

Echizen stared at the men, blinked and then turned to look at Fuji. Very unpleasant feeling came through his body.

"F-Fuji-senpai who're they?"

Fuji didn't respond. His blue eyes were fixed on the guys who started getting nearly them. "Keep going." He whispered. "And pretend you don't know me."

"But Fuji-senpai…"

"Just do as I told you." Fuji ordered, turned his back to him and started backing off in the opposite direction from where they were heading.

"Fuji-senpai…" Echizen whispered fearfully as the two men passed him. From closer look, they seemed even more frightening. All their faces were covered with scars and he could swear that some of their fingers were missing.

Echizen couldn't do anything but watching helplessly the guys chasing after the tensai.

_Who are they_? He thought fearfully. _And what do they have to do with Fuji_?

TBC

Hope you enjoy reading it so far and that it was understandable enough. Sorry if it didn't. But I did my best!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Not mine, not here and not in the previous chapter, even though I didn't put there disclaimer**.

Thanks for everyone who reviewed, and read my last chapters. You made me really happy! But I am not sure you're going to like this chapter, since there is too much OOCness inside it, especially with Fuji. But please forgive me about that! It's very important for the upcoming!

**Chapter Three **

When running in the streets Fuji was forced to admit that Inui's training programs had paid off.

He started making distance between him and his pursuers when he crashed suddenly into a person who was walking on the sidewalk in the opposite direction.

"S-sorry…" He succeeded to mumbled, and was about to pass him as he felt a strong grip on his wrist.

He stared at the person in confusion and fear.

"T-Tezuka?"

The stoic captain of Seigaku examined the tensai with his hard expression. "Where do you think you're going? School is on the other way."

"But there are two guys after me!"

Tezuka's gaze turned harder. "That's not excuse. We have training in few minutes so stopped fooling around and let's go!"

"B-but-"

"LET'S GO."

Knowing it would be less problematic to faces with two muscular guys than messing with Tezuka; Fuji gave up and followed his captain. In the corner of his eye he could see that the men were staring at him, but didn't get closer.

Forgetting about them Fuji smiled again, and spent the time with Tezuka in talking about the upcoming tournament.

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Fuji and Tezuka arrived to their school gate and found the other regulars running toward them.

Eiji was the first to arrive and wrapped his arms around Fuji for an embrace. "O'chibi said that two scary guys were after you. We were so worried."

Fuji smiled softly. "Don't worry, Eiji. Everything is fine now."

"Are you sure Fuji-senpai?" Echizen asked cynically. "May I ask, who were those men, and what did they want from you?" The youngest boy's expression turned even harder with his next question. "Did you know they were after you, when you ran away from your house to mine?"

Fuji dropped his smile after hearing the last question. He opened his eyes, letting pain and sadness to reflect in them. "You know I won't do anything that might risk your family."

Oishi stared at Fuji in confusion. "Running away from the house? When did that happen?"

Fuji sighed tiredly. "Yesterday evening I left my family and came to live with Echizen."

"With Echizen?" Eiji seemed hurt, "Why didn't you come to my house?"

"But Eiji…" Fuji tried to pacify him. "They are already five children in your family. I couldn't do that to your parents."

"Nya, my parents love you a lot! They wouldn't mind!"

"Eiji, What are you talking about?" Oishi cried. "Fuji shouldn't be at your house. He shouldn't be at Echizen's house either. He should be in his own house!"

"And that exactly what I tried to tell him in the last twelve hours!" Echizen yelled, "I really wished that he would listen to you senpai."

Fuji was nearly tears. "You must believe me! I know what I'm doing."

"But Fujiko," Kawamura watched him in worried. "You just can't wake up one day and decide to leave your family. That's horrible!"

"I had a very good reason to do so."

Kaidoh seemed suspicion "Running away from your problems? I didn't accept it from you, Fuji-senpai."

Momoshiro nodded in agreement. "Fuji-senpai can't deal with his problems?" He shook his head slowly. "I'm not sure that this is the real Fuji-senpai who's standing beside me. Not sure at all."

"I also think you should return home." Inui remarked. "My data shows that 65 percents from the kids who run away from their houses end as criminals or drugs sellers."

"And the most importance thing," Tezuka said, crossing his arms. "All of the running away thing might cost you in distraction from tennis."

"CAN'T YOU JUST SHUT UP?" Fuji screamed and made everyone to star at him in shock, since they hadn't seen Fuji so upset before.

"How dare you think you know what's the best thing for me? Do you really think I enjoy being away from my house? Do you have any idea what I have been through?"

"Fuji…" Oishi said softly. "We didn't mean to hurt you. We tried to help you, since we are really worried about you."

He tried to put his hand on Fuji's shoulder, but the tensai backed off. "You might leave any concern you have about me from now on." He said bitterly and turned to Echizen. "Today after school I will take my things and leave your house.

"Fuji-senpai, "Echizen mumbled in embarrassment but Fuji shook his head, "it's fine Echizen, I know you are worried because of your family, and I'm so sorry for putting you in such situation."

Fuji turned then to Tezuka. "You can stop worried about me hurting your team. I'm quitting from the regulars.""

"Fuji-"Tezuka seemed totally in shock, but Fuji only smiled sadly and shook his head. "I already made a decision. It's the best for everyone."

Fuji turned his back from his teammates. "I'll just remove my thing from my locker and then I won't disturb you ever again."

Fuji kept away from his friends who watched him sadly.

"We were too much harsh with him," Said Momoshiro.

"Fshuuuu," agreed Kaidoh.

"I have never seen him so lost before." Kawamura remarked worriedly."

Oishi nodded. "Those because he always hides his true self behind that smiling mask."

"B-but is there anything we can do for him?" Eiji asked with tears in his eyes.

"Well…" Inui raised his head from his notebook. "The best solution is that someone will go and speak with him."

"Inui's right." Tezuka said. "And that someone must be Echizen."

"WHAT?" Cried the freshman regular, "Why is it has to be me?"

All the other regulars stared at him in anger.

"Because…" Momoshiro Began. "Fuji-senpai had come to your house for asking your help and you denied him!"

"What are you talking about Momo-senpai? He tried everyone else 's house before coming to mine!"

"That's not excuse." Kaidoh hissed. "If he lives with you, you must treat him as a family member."

"And family members always help each other." Kawamura joined them.

Oishi watched him firmly. "Fuji would have done the same thing for you."

"Yeah!" Eiji cried and wiped away his tears, "I will never forgive you if something bad happens to him!"

Tezuka looked straight in the youngest boy's eyes. "You screwed up everything with Fuji, and now you must go and fix it."

"FINE!" Echizen shouted. "I will go and speak with Fuji-senpai if you are so afraid to do so!"

Echizen left his senpai and made his way to the lockers room thinking how good it would had been if he had stayed in America and never arrived to Japan.

TBC

(A/N): Sorry again about the OOCness, but it was really importance for me to make the regulars bad with Fuji. It was the only excuse I could get for making him to tell Ryoma what he was hiding. And you all want to know about that. Don't you?

Hope you will review and keep reading! And by the way, do you think that this story needs some pairings? My two big options are: Fuji\Ryoma or Tezuka\Fuji what do you think?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Echizen entered into the locker room and found Fuji folding his uniform.

The tensai raised his head, "oh it's you."

Echizen stepped inside and stood beside Fuji, "are you serious about leaving us, Fuji-senpai?"

"I don't intend to stay in a place, where I'm not welcome." The tensai replied coldly.

Echizen rolled his eyes, "Why don't you just tell us what is it all about?"

Fuji stopped from his doing and stared at Echizen's direction, "so you still care about me after all."

Echizen decided to tell the truth, "Tezuka and the others are outside the room, ready to kill me if I don't chance your mind about leaving, so let's have a deal. You will tell me why you left your house and I won't be mind if you stay in my house anymore."

Fuji thought about it for a moment, "I don't know." He said finally. "Saeki said that I can be in his house, and I really like his mother cooking."

_If I won't convince him, I will be forced to try Inui's cooking. _Echizen thought fearfully and chanced his attitude:

"C'mon Fuji-senpai, don't forget what you promised my dad yesterday, that you will care me as much as you care a real brother."

Fuji smiled slightly, "I guess you are right, Echizen. Even after being so cruel with me. It won't be fair to leave you alone like that."

Echizen sighed in relief, "When we return home, I will ask Nanako to make you as many wasabi sushi as you can eat."

Fuji's smile turned wider, "it's a deal."

"Good." Echizen smiled, "but now it's your turn." He turned serious. "Tell me everything. Why did you leave your house? Who were those guys? And how is Steve involved in all of this?"

Fuji sighed, "I think, it's fair enough." He sat on one of the benches, and Echizen joined along.

"Some days ago I returned from school and found out that Steve had forgotten to lock his room, so I came inside."

Echizen didn't even bother to ask why, he only gave a quick nodded as Fuji went on, "My intention was to make a quick and unnoticeable search, only to make sure that everything was fine with that Steve, but after I cut off his bed mattress I found dozen of nylon bags full with white powder."

Echizen blinked, "I don't get it. What's so wrong about bags with a white powder?"

The tensai slapped his forehead and explained Echizen all about the real meaning of white powder. When he finished Echizen watched him in fear. "But maybe you're wrong? You said that Steve was a student, so maybe those bags were for a university project?"

Fuji shook his head, "I also thought about that possibility, so I waited for Steve to do the first move. It happened yesterday evening, when I saw him leaving the house with a large envelope. I followed him to an empty yard, there he waited about an hour until black car arrived to the place and four men in color suits came outside. They exchanged some words with Steve and took the envelope."

Echizen stared at Fuji in anger, "and why did you stay there? You could have got hurt!"

Fuji opened his eyes, full rage reflected in them. "I am not coward you know."

"I know you don't…" Echizen said. "But still, what was useful in standing there? You should have gone to the police."

Fuji sighed sadly, "It wasn't so easy. The police wouldn't mess up with this kind of people without very good evidence. So I stayed in the place and took some photos, but then one of the men saw the light from my camera and they started chasing me. I succeeded to escape, and to return home there I told my family everything I saw. But they didn't believe me. They thought, I only said that because I wanted to get rid of Steve."

Fuji closed his eyes, "you should have seen my sister. There were tears in her eyes, when she asked me I had to be so harsh with the person she loved. And my father…" For a moment Echizen was sure, he saw Fuji shivered. "He really got made at me. He said that if I dare to tell lies about Steve ever again, he would slap me."

"Fuji-senpai…" Echizen whispered sadly, and decided to appraise his old man a bit more.

"And the funniest thing…" Fuji laughed bitterly, "Steve would have never guessed, I had been the one with the camera, if my father didn't call him when he returned home, told him everything I said, and forced me to apologize."

Echizen looked worried, "did Steve try to threaten you or something?"

Fuji shook his head, "I didn't give him the chance. I knew that he wouldn't try anything funny on me when my family around, so I went to my room, locked the door, placed the camera and some closes inside my suitcase, and left my house through the window. You know the rest of it."

"But what are you planning to do now?" Echizen asked worriedly, "Steve and will men won't stop chasing you, and you just can't walk to the police. It's too dangerous for your family."

Fuji didn't answer immediately, instead he watched Echizen, making him to feel quite nervous. "What?"

Fuji smiled, "thanks you Echizen, for believing me. Most of the people I know, would have said I was only playing with them."

"What's the big deal?" Echizen asked, "I know that you can be really foolish sometimes, but not about this kind of things."

Fuji stood up, "let's have a match."

"Eh?" Echizen blinked in confusion.

"We still have unfinished match to end," Said Fuji, and slowly Echizen started smiling. "I won't be easy on you, even as a brother."

Fuji returned him a smile, "I didn't expect anything else from you."

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The Seigaku regulars were standing outside the locker room, when the door was opened, and Echizen and Fuji stepped outside.

Fuji came toward Tezuka and bowed, "I'm returning from my decision to leave the club, if you still want me-"

"FUJIKO!" Eiji and Kawamura cried happily, and embraced their friend, before Tezuka could say anything.

Inui meantime came next to Echizen, "so what did he tell you?"

"You better don't know." Echizen answered.

"Oh really?" Inui stared at him through his glasses. "In that case you must drink one of my-"

It happened fast. Fuji opened his eyes, freed himself from Eiji and Kawamura's embracement and stood between Inui and Echizen. "Do you have any problem with my baby brother?"

Inui back off and Fuji turned to Echizen, "shell we go to the court?"

"Yeah, sure,"

Echizen and Fuji stepped toward the court, and Inui stared at them in confusion, "a baby brother? "

Oishi meantime came near Tezuka, "it seems to me that Echizen and Fuji started getting along much better now."

"Huh," answered Tezuka, and didn't remove his gaze from Fuji.

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**Not far away: **

I can see him!" said the man with the funny brown suit. "He is coming inside the tennis court."

The other man nodded, "let's come and get him."

"Not now, Ichiro, we might get to much attention if we enter into a school kids like that, and beside the scary teacher from before, he is also here."

"But Kenichi," his friend stared at him in fear, "you know the boss, if we don't bring that kid to him soon-"

"Don't worry," Kenichi watched the two boys playing in the court, and then smiled evilly, "until the rest of the day, Fuji Syusuke will be ours."

**TBC **

Hope you enjoy! I haven't decided on pairing yet, but I will soon!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: PoT belongs to Konomi Takashi. **

Hi everyone, I'm sorry so much that it took me so long to update, I have rewritten this chapter over and over again, until I decided it was fine enough to be posted. I won't ask about Fuji's OOCness since, he and Echizen won't show up too much in this chapter (I will make it up for them!)

Chapter Five

"Stupid aniki,"

Yuuta yelled in front of Akazawa and Mizuki who were beside him in the train. "I just can't believe he left the house at the middle of the night and went to bother another family with his presence."

"Well, look at the good side." Mizuki smirked. "Because of him we got a day off from school, so it's a great opportunity to look for new players from Seigaku."

"Mizuki," Akazawa scolded him. "Don't forger that we came here in order to find Yuuta's brother and to bring him home." He turned to Yuuta. "Don't worry about him. I'm sure he is fine."

"I know he is!" Yuuta cried, "It's not him I'm worried about, but my family. Yumiko cried in her room all the night, and my parents are broken!"

The train arrived finally to its station and the three St. Rudolph Regulars went outside, looking for the quickest way to Seigaku Junior High. Meantime a good-looking young man, around the late twenties walked beside them.

"Yuuta-kun, it's so good to see you here."

Yuuta turned around and stared at the man in surprised.

"Steve?"

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Ichiro watched the two boys playing on the court and couldn't help but feeling bliss. He also played tennis in his junior high period, and even became a regular at his third year.

_It was a very good year of the team_, he thought with a smile. They even got to play against the same school where he was standing right now. His team won, even though he lost in his own match. Not that someone could blame him. The boy he played against was one of the greatest players in Japan. He heard latter on that the boy had left to USA and became pro.

_Not that it's matter now, _He thought sadly. He had forced to quit from tennis very soon after that. He had never succeeded to integrate in the Japanese inflexible system and dropped from high school. His parents didn't support him and he found himself wandering in the street attaching to other kids like him. From there the way to the Yakuza was short.

"Ichiro," His friend stared at him in anger, "we didn't come here to watch the kids play. We have a work to do!"

"Sorry," Ichiro said. "But that Fuji Syusuke, he's really a good player don't you think? Also the other kid…"

Kenichi turned to look at Echizen and smirked, "that kid, I've seen him before. Isn't he the brat who stood beside Fuji when we started chasing him?"

"Right," Ichiro approved.

Kenichi smiled evilly, "He must be the one that Fuji lives in his house who Steve told us about. We can use that kid for getting Fuji."

"But Kenichi," Ichiro stared at him in fear. "That kid, he's even less old than Fuji is!"

"What can I say about that?" Kenichi sighed tiredly, "Fuji should have thought twice before messing with the boss. Now it's those kids or us-"

"Kenichi…" Ichiro whispered fearfully suddenly. "The teacher, he saw us!"

"Damn!" Kenichi cursed and noticed he was staring directly through the eyes of the Seigaku Captain.

On that that moment exactly, there was a strong thunder and heavy rain started falling from the sky. Kenichi cursed again and signaled Ichiro to leave the place with him. On their way outside, they could hear the "teacher" shouting that practice was over and to get into the building.

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Some hours latter the Seigaku Regular were sitting together during the lunchtime. Surprisingly Echizen and Fuji weren't with them, since Fuji had a library duty; and Echizen was sitting on another table together with other freshmen from his class.

"Nya, poor Fujiko and o'chibi," Eiji said. "It seems to me that it doesn't matter how much they try, they will never get a chance to finish their match."

"Don't worry about that," Momoshiro laughed. "Don't forget that Echizen has his own tennis court at home, so now that they live together, they can play tennis anytime they want."

"I guess you are right..." Eiji sighed sadly, "Now I'm really jealous, maybe I should also leave my house and go to live with them-"

Oishi turned very pale. "Don't even think of that!"

"Listen to him," Inui advised him. "There is 90 percents chance that Oishi won't be able to stand in seeing another one of his teammates leaving the house."

"I will never allow that!" Eiji yelled and embraced his blushing double partner, "if I decide to leave my house one day, you will be the person I will choose to come and to live with!"

"Inui," Tezuka turned suddenly to the data player of the team. "Have you also noticed the two men who were staring at Fuji and Echizen during their match?"

Inui nodded, "muscular guys with brown suits and missing pinky fingers in their left hands, there is 94 percents chance that they belong to the organized crime."

Eiji stopped embracing Oishi and stared at Inui with fear. "They belong to organized crime? Do you think that are the guys who were chasing after Fuji this morning?"

Inui nodded "92 percents chance that they connect somehow to his home fleeing and other 90 percents that Fuji won't tell us anything."

"I am sure Fuji told everything to Echizen." Oishi remarked.

"So let's go and ask him," Momoshiro advised.

"It won't work," said Inui. "You saw how Fuji reacted when I tried to ask Echizen about this. We will just have to find another way-"

"We won't have to find anything," Tezuka said firmly. "If Fuji has a problem and chooses not to share it with us, we must respect that."

"Tezuka is right," Eiji said glumly and stared at the table. "It's just… I always thought that Fujiko trusted me enough to tell me everything."

It was Oishi's turn to embrace his friend. "Fuji does trust you, Eiji. He's only afraid you might get hurt because of him."

There was a long moment of silence when each regular was in his thoughts. "Even if Fujiko does care about involving us..." Kawamura said finally. "I just can't bare the thought that two muscular guys are after him, and we don't do anything about it."

"I am in full agreement with Taka." Oishi said. "We better watch Fuji more closely for his safety from now on."

"Not only Fuji," Kaidoh remarked. "If Fuji lives at Echizen's house, there is a great chance that he also might be in risk."

Inui nodded, "apparently 66 percents chance."

Eiji turned very hyper on that moment, "ne, we can open a secret organization that designated to protect them. I even have a name: FEP- Fuji and Echizen's protectors! Or even more secretly one: OTP- Ochibi and the Tensai's Protectors!"

Momoshiro grinned, "I think it will be better if we change it to POT: Protectors of O'chibi and the Tensai."

"Both of you stop fooling around!" Tezuka scolded them. "All we need to do is to make sure that Echizen and Fuji will arrive safely to their house. So let's split into groups, today Momoshiro and Kaidoh will go with them, Oishi and I tomorrow, Eiji and Kawamura on the day after and Inui and I on the forth day."

No one ventured to ask about the captain's willingness of being in two of the groups.

"Do I have to be with Kaidoh?" Momoshiro asked in disappointed.

"Yes."

Momoshiro sighed sadly as Kaidoh watched him in disgust, "I don't enjoy from it either. I'm only doing it for Fuji-senpai and Echizen's sake.

POTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOTPOT

"Tezuka," Oishi asked his friend who was stepping with him to class. "Are you worried because of Fuji?"

"Sure I am," the captain answered coldly. "All the problems he caused can easily distract us from tennis."

Oishi couldn't stop smiling, "don't tell me that you are only worried because of the tennis, I saw how you looked at him during the practice."

Tezuka stopped walking in front of his class, "even if I do. It seems to me that there is another person that he cares about." After saying that, Tezuka got inside his class leaving Oishi to stand there and to watch him sadly.

TBC

Thrill Pair fans: Please, please, please, don't hate me! I also love them, really! But the pair in this story just has to be TezuFuji. Anyway this story is still focusing on Fuji and Ryoma relationships as for TezuFuji is only a sweet bonus (;


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Pot belongs to the greatest Konomi Takashi.**

Sorry so much for the long waiting. After writing in Hebrew, It was very hard to translate this chapter to English. In the end I changed almost everything from the origin chapter, but I really think that it's better that way.I'm sorry so much with all of the problems I caused. I know it wasn't fair, but people must know that it's really hard to write in a language that you haven't grown up with. Thanks so much to anyone who gave her support and send me review or PM. It was a great thing to know that people care.

**Chapter six**

Kenichi turned off his phone and turned to look at his partner who was sitting next to him in the car, "it was Steve. He said he had found someone that would catch the boy for us."

"Who's that? An expert in kidnapping?"

Kenichi shook his head and grinned, "Syusuke's little brother, Fuji Yuuta."

_What a cruel family that poor boy has_. Ichiro thought and decided not to share that with Kenichi, instead he just asked: "so what should we do right now?"

"I don't know." Kenichi answered, "Steve said that he would call us when Fuji with him, so why don't we meantime go and pick up something to eat?"

"Good idea." Ichiro said happily. "I really started getting starving with all of that waiting."

The two men left with their car the standpoint near Seigaku Juniors High, and started wandering in the streets of Tokyo, looking for a place where they would find a good sushi restaurant.

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In the end of the school day Echizen was walking inside the school's corridors until he saw Fuji leaning against a wall of an empty class. "Fuji-senpai, aren't you coming home?"

Fuji jumped in surprise from the presence of the other boy. "I thought you would go without me after seeing I was gone."

"I wanted to do so, but Tezuka didn't let me."

Fuji blinked in confusion, "Tezuka?"

Echizen nodded, "he said that we must be escorted by at least two regulars as long as those men keep troubling you."

"I see…" Fuji said, feeling a bit offend from the fact that since the morning Tezuka kept treating him as a little child.

"So are you coming?" Echizen turned around and was ready to leave the class. "Today Momo and Kaidoh will go with us."

Seeing that Fuji didn't follow, Echizen watched him in confusion, "what's the matter? Momo and Kaidoh aren't THAT bad company. "

"It's not them," Fuji mumbled. "I just can't walk home right now. There is something I need to do."

"Is it a school duty or something?" Echizen asked. "I can wait for you to finish it, and to pass the time by beating Momo in tennis."

Fuji shook his head. "It's not a school duty. I'm going somewhere else."

"So we will go with you-"

Fuji gave Echizen one of his hardest glances. "Not this time. I must be there alone."

"Fine, do what you want!" Echizen cried angrily. "I will tell Momo and Kaidoh that I couldn't find you, but if something bad happens, don't dare to call me late at night and to ask for my help!"

Echizen left the room, slamming the door behind him and Fuji was left alone in the class. _I'm sorry Echizen_, he thought, _but Yuuta asked to see me. It might be a great opportunity to explain him everything, and to make my parents to believe in me._

Fuji came next to the window. He saw Echizen walking away together with Kaidoh and Momoshiro. _He will be safe with them_. He thought with relief, and was ready to leave the place by his own.

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Heavy clouds were covering the sky when Fuji made his way toward the meeting point. He was afraid that the rain of the morning would return forcefully, so he started running. He arrived to an empty street tennis court and saw his brother standing there waiting for him. Yuuta seemed angry, but Fuji wasn't surprise, since he expected him to be uneasy with him couldn't understand however what two other St. Rudolph Players were doing with him. "Yuuta what's going on? You said we would be alone."

Mizuki and Akazawa closed on him and grabbed him forcefully from each side of his arms. Fuji didn't try to fight back. He only stared at Yuuta sadly. "You've tricked me."

"Anike," Yuuta said harshly fisting his hand. "Do you have any idea what damage you caused? I have heard stupid things from you already, but that is the most ridiculous one! You have great luck that Steve is patient enough and agrees to forgive you."

Fuji prevented to look into his brother eyes. "Don't you see that he inflames you against me?"

"Just shut up!" Yuuta said coldly, "Do you have any idea how much Yumiko is miserable because of your lies? She considers canceling her trip to America."

Fuji's eyes were opened hopefully, "Really? That's great!"

"NO! THAT'S NOT GREAT!" Yuuta started screaming and Mizuki couldn't stop from giggling. "Yuuta really hate you because of you foolishness."

Fuji turned his gaze directly at the St. Rudolph Manager, "I didn't ask your opinion Mituki…"

Mizuki narrowed his eyes in anger, "THE NAME IS MIZUKI!" He yelled and punched Fuji hard in the face.

Yuuta and Akazawa stared at Mizuki, totally in shook from what he just did. "Mizuki, what came into you?" Akazawa scolded him before releasing his grip from Fuji, allowing him to kneel down the ground and to cover his hurt eye with one of his hands.

"Sorry, sorry…" Mizuki said, studying the gasping tensai and smirked, "I only gave him a small lesson, so he would know his place in the next time he would speak with me."

Yuuta stared worriedly at his brother, and kneeled down beside him. "I'm sorry about Mizuki, I will speak with him latter, I swear. But right now we are taking you home, so you will apologize in front of our parents, and explain Yumiko that you lied about Steve."

"I am sorry Yuuta." Fuji mumbled weakly, "but I can't come with you. I don't belong there anymore."

Yuuta's eyes were widened in surprise, "aniki..." He whispered, not knowing what else to say.

"Don't worry Yuuta-kun," Mizuki grinned. "It's not like he has a choice," He stared again at Fuji. "Get back on your feet!" He commanded. "You have been resting enou-"

Before at the St. Rudolph manager could finish his sentence, a tennis ball was struck from the other side of the court, and crushed into his face. Terrified from seeing his manager felling down Yuuta turned around and saw Echizen, Momoshiro and Kaidoh standing not far away.

Even though the all the three of them stared murderously at the St. Rudolph Regulars, Echizen seemed the most dangerous one. He took few steps forwards. "This is for hurting Fuji-senpai when he was helpless. Now release him!"

Momoshiro grabbed Echizen by the collar of his shirt and pulled him in reverse. "I have told you Echizen, to let me and Kaidoh handle this." He thrown the younger boy on a nearby bush and turned his gaze toward Akazawa. "We have already known that your manager is jerk, but we haven't expected from you to treat someone like that."

"I did it for Yuuta." Akazawa answered. "Do you have any idea how much he got upset because of his aniki-"

"Just shut up!" Kaidoh shouted. His tennis ball was stroke forcefully over Akazawa's forehead, and the St. Rudolph Captain collapsed as well as the previous manager.

"Hey! That wasn't fair, Kaidoh!" Momoshiro cried. "I was about to do so!"

"Shut up!" Kaidoh returned him. "You can hit Yuuta if you wish."

"And to make Fuji-senpai wished to kill me?"

"Can't you just be quiet?" Echizen scolded them. He stood back on his feet and walked over the place where Fuji was sitting while Yuuta kept kneeling beside him. "Are you alright, Fuji-senpai?"

Fuji watched him through his healthy eye. "You shouldn't have been here."

Echizen blinked in confusion. "And allowing Mizuki to keep humiliating you?"

"You could have also got hurt."

"Well," Echizen said with a tiny smile. "Brothers always take care on each other, don't they?"

"Yes…" Fuji said, and for a moment glanced at Yuuta before ignoring him completely. "That's what they _should _do."

Echizen helped Fuji to stand again, and they were ready to leave.

"Aniki-"Yuuta began in hesitation.

"Just go home, Yuuta." Fuji said coldly, not even looking at him. "All I can advice you is to stay away from Steve."

"Aniki…" Yuuta whispered again while watching his brother stepping away with his friends.

Mizuki stood up and took a mirror out of his pocket. He stared at his reflection, furious to see violet circle decorating his eye.

Seeing his captain was the only one who was left on the ground, Yuuta hurried toward him and helped him to stand up. "Buchou, are you alright?"

Akazawa stared at him in confusion. "Do I know you?"

Mizuki kicked down the ground forcefully cursing Seigaku and swearing to get his revenge for the destruction of his face and also for the memory of his captain. "Don't worry Yuuta." He said after calming down, "we will our revenge in your aniki's team and will show them what it is like to mess with us."

Yuuta stared at him miserably, wishing that he could just bring his aniki back home without starting war with another tennis team.

**TBC**

Yeah, I know, a lot OOC-ness, Fuji would never treat Yuuta like that. But again, it was needed for the upcoming.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: PoT belongs to the greatest Konomi Takashi, **

Chapter Seven

Oishi stared through the window of Kawamura's restaurant at the heavy rain that dropped on the street. "I hope that everything is fine with Momo and Kaidoh. They should have been here by now."

"Don't worry." Said Kawamura, "I'm sure that Fuji and Echizen are safe with them."

Oishi smiled weakly. "I guess you are right. I really should stop being under stress all the time. Oh, by the way, thank you, Taka-san, for letting us to stay at your place today."

"Oh, It's nothing," Kawamura smiled in embarrassed. "My parents visit some relatives in Kyoto, so the restaurant will be close for this weekend."

Momoshiro and Kaidoh arrived finally and Oishi could sigh in relief and join the other the regulars who gathered around them. The two second year regulars were completely soaked from the rain, and received happily two cups of tea that Kawamura gave them.

"What took you so long?" Tezuka inquired as they finished their drink.

Momoshiro sighed tiredly, "Fuji skipped us and went to meet his brother. Luckily we succeeded to find him, since it turned out to be St. Rudolph's trap. They tried to take forcefully to his house."

Kawamura dropped his jaw. "St. Rudolph works with the Yakuza?"

"I don't think they are aware to the kind of people they are messing with." Inui said. "There is 70 percents chance that someone acts as mediator between them."

Kaidoh jumped up, "Fuji mentioned a guy, named Steve in front of his brother, and told him to stay away from him".

"I know this guy!" Eiji cried worriedly. "He is the boyfriend of Fujiko's sister."

Oishi shook his head. "I still don't understand. If there was something about Steve that made Fuji worried, why didn't he speak with his parents, instead of leaving the house? "

"Since no one believed him." Momoshiro explained. "You should have seen Yuuta back there. He kept blaming his brother for telling lies and wasn't ready to hear a word from him. I really felt sorry for Fuji. He got really depressed because of him."

Tezuka stared at Momoshiro worriedly, "is Fuji alright?"

Momoshiro sighed sadly. "We rescued him on time. But he didn't seem very well. He was a bit blurred and pale when we took him to Echizen's house."

Kaidoh shook his head. "It's not surprising after what Mizuki did to him. It still hard for me to believe that Yuuta didn't say anything to his manager after seeing him punching his brother in front of his face."

The usually stoic captain of Seigaku seemed really concerned, "Mizuki hurt Fuji?"

"It only left him a small scratch." Momoshiro calmed him. "You should have seen Echizen however, and what he has done to Mizuki in return-"

Tezuka heard enough. "I'm going to Echizen's house."

"Nya, I also want to come!" Cried Eiji, "I want to hug Fujiko and make sure he is-" Oishi hold carefully his double partner's arm, "it's fine Eiji, let Tezuka go alone."

Tezuka nodded gratefully and walked out the restaurant.

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"I'm so sorry," mumbled Fuji who was lying exhaustedly in the bed of his new room. "I really didn't mean to bother you so much with my present."

"It's okay," Nanako smiled gently and stroked his hair. "This is not surprising that you became sick after what you have been through. Now, get some rest, and I'm sure that you will feel much better tomorrow." Fuji nodded weakly and closed his eyes.

Nanako stayed with him for a while before walking out the door and heading toward the living room where Nanjiro and Ryoma were. "He's trying to get some sleep. I think it will be the best if he doesn't go to school tomorrow."

"But he will be fine, right?" Ryoma asked worriedly and felt his father smirking at him.

"And what's your problem?"

"It seems to me that you care about him after all."

"I'm only trying to be nice with him, since told me to be!"

Someone knocked at the door, and Ryoma who was pretty glad to finish that argument went to open.

Like Fuji in the previous evening, Ryoma didn't expect to see Tezuka standing there.

"Buchou?"

"Good evening Echizen," Greeted Tezuka, "I came to see how Fuji is, and I also would like to have a word with you."

"Yeah, sure," Ryoma said a bit awkwardly, and let Tezuka to get in.

Nanjiro grinned as he saw Tezuka coming inside. "And Rinko complained some days ago that our boy doesn't get enough visitors."

Ignoring him, Echizen turned to Tezuka, "shell we go upstairs?"

PoTPoTPoT

The tensai was sleeping when they entered the room, and Tezuka stepped forward. He examined the fragile teenage who was lying in the bed, and was terrified to see the red bruise under his eye.

"I just can't believe Mizuki has done to him such thing."

"Yeah," Ryoma whispered. "Pretty creepy, even for this guy… Do you want me to wake him up?"

Tezuka kept staring at Fuji for a moment, fighting against the urge to reach out his hand and to care the soft cheek of the boy. "No," He answered finally. "He seems really exhausted already, and I don't want to bother him."

He turned to look at Ryoma, "let's go to your room, so we will speak in private."

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Inside Kawamura's restaurant the regulars continued discussing how much they hated the St. Rudolph Manager and also gave some speculations about the true identify of Steve. When they didn't have something new to add Kawamura went inside the kitchen and returned with a sushi tray. They were eating their food in silence when someone knocked on the door.

"It must be some of the costumers." Kawamura said and stood up. He reached the door, ready to apology and to explain that the restaurant would be close in the next days, but when the door was only partly opened two muscular men burst into the place.

"I'm telling you, I just hate that city!" complained one of them, "It took us hours only to find that parking place. I really hope that Steve will get the boy soon, and we will able to get out from-"

Kenichi stopped talking when he noticed Kawamura was standing and staring at him. "Why the hell is your problem? Go and bring us something to eat!"

It took Kawamura few seconds for digesting that those men who burst into the place were actually the same once who were chasing after Fuji.

"WAIT!" He cried helplessly and made them to stop walking and to look at him murderously as if saying that he must be really mad or very stupid for giving them orders.

Kawamura took a deep breath. "I'm sorry," He changed his tone and spoke politely. "But we close today."

"Oh, really?" Ichiro pointed roughly at the table where the frightened regulars were sitting, "and do you open for this _KIND_ of customers?"

Before Kawamura could say something else, Kenichi pushed him hard against one of the walls. "What's the matter?" growled the man, "you don't like people like us?"

Kawamura felt the grasp tightened around his neck and he started having trouble breathing. "It's not that…" He Stuttered. "They are my friends from school… and I made the food… My father who manages the place is outside the city today."

Ichiro stared hungrily at the sushi tray on the table, "it seems good enough for me."

"Fine," said Kenichi, and released his grip from Kawamura. "Go to the kitchen and make us your food." He turned to the other terrified regulars, "go and help him, you better make us good food and fast if you don't want that the livelihood place of your friend's daddy will be damaged."

At once the Seigaku Regulars stood on their feet, ready to work hard in order to save Kawamura's restaurant from destruction.

NOT YOU," Kenichi pointed over Eiji suddenly. "You stay here with us, so we will make sure that none of your friends will try to do anything stupid like sneaking out of here and to bring the police."

"Not Eiji!" Momoshiro and Kaidoh should have hold Oishi very strongly to prevent him for attacking the men. "Let's me stay here instead!"

"Just do as we told you, and no one will get hurt." Ichiro started felling quite nervous from his partner's behavior.

"Go with the others, I will be fine." Eiji tried very hard to be sound brave and returned to sit near the table.

As his heart bumped fast Oishi's joined his friends inside the kitchen, not before giving a quick glance at the men joining to the table where his double partner was. _Don't worry Eiji, it doesn't matter what will happen me, I will make sure you will be safe. _

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"So what did you want to speak with me about?" Echizen asked Tezuka when they went inside his room.

Tezuka didn't answer immediately, but closed the door first. "I need to know, what Fuji told you today."

"What Fuji-senpai told me?" Echizen repeated uneasily. "I am not sure he will be glad if I tell you this. He doesn't want you in troubles."

"After the St. Rudolph incident we are already in troubles." Tezuka said impatiently. "For that reason, it will be more useful to know what kind of mess we have got ourselves into."

"You know..." Echizen said carefully, rolling his eyes. "If you really want to hear the all story, I am sure Fuji-senpai will be the best source. Are you sure you don't want me to wake him up?"

"No!" Tezuka said resolutely. "He's sick and need a rest."

_And maybe he might feel much better if he knows that his friend care about him enough to hear things from him directly. _Echizen thought and sighed, "I guess I have no choice but to tell you everything."

"Good," Tezuka said, crossing his arms. "You can start with Steve."

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"NO! Keep Eiji out of this! Take me instead! Torture me! Kill me! Do with me whatever you want!"

"Calm down, boy." Growled Kenichi, "We won't do anything wrong to your friend."

"Just let us finish the food peacefully, and no one will get hurt." Ichiro added.

"We'll give you anything you want. Just stop playing cards with him!"

"Nya, Oishi don't be mean! Maybe I will win this time. See? I've got two couples!"

Kenichi grinned. "It seems not your day, kid." He showed his own cards, four kings.

"Nya, not fair, I haven't seen it coming!"

"Eiji," Oishi was nearly tears. "Stop playing cards with those men! They are not your friends."

Kenichi seemed annoyed with Oishi talking so much. He turned to him. "Is there anything you don't remember about my threat of destroying your friend's restaurant? Join your friends at the kitchen, and stop disturbing us!"

Helplessly and sad for not being able to assist his double partner, Oishi returned to the kitchen. "We must do something," He told to the others. "I just can't bare seeing Eiji with those people."

"He seems fine to me," disagreed Kaidoh who was cutting some vegetables. "We should let it go. You have heard what they said. They won't cause us any damage if we make them a dinner."

"They are a bad influence on Eiji." Oishi cried. "We must get rid of them!"

Kawamura, who in the sushi stand, raised his head and whispered. "I agree with Oishi, we must do something about their presence here. Those men are a serious threat for Fujiko and Echizen…and also for Eiji!" He hurried and added when he felt Oishi watching him pitifully.

"Taka-san's right!" Momoshiro said excitedly. "Despite the all circumstances that made us slaves in Kawamura's restaurant, we just can't forget our destination as POT. If we take control over those men, we will be able to throw their bodies to the fish in the river, and then Fuji-senpai and Echizen will be safe again."

"If you want to go to jail so much, at least be useful." Kaidoh taunted him. "Those people are only a small screw in their organization. We might be able to get rid of those two, but then new men will arrive."

"I must agree with Kaidoh about the pointless of killing those men," Inui noted, "but we might get a great benefit from their captivity. Then, we will be able to collect a great data about their organization, and also about its plans for Fuji."

"And in that case they will be forced to leave Eiji alone." Oishi added happily.

Kawamura seemed less enthusiastic than the others. "I don't mind about the plan, but will it be possible to do it away from my restaurant?"

"Don't worry," Inui calmed him. "Your place won't be damaged. All I need for you is to show where your cleaning items are, and also I need you to let me prepare them the soup."

Oishi blinked, "I didn't know you know how to cook Inui…" Then suddenly he got Inui's main idea, "don't tell me you are going to-"

"Do you want that your double partner will keep playing card with those guys?"

"No but-"

"So let me handle it."

"Inui," Momoshiro said worriedly, "I don't think those men are stupid enough to taste blue smelly soup."

"In that case you will be need to convince them about its edibility, since you are going to be the one who will serve them the food."

"Me? Why can't it be Kaidoh?"

Inui took one steps forward and watched Momoshiro blankly trough his glasses. "I need Kaidoh to help me with the recipe. Taka-san is needed in the sushi stand and Oishi might be too nervous because of Eiji."

"Please Momo," Oishi begged, "you are the last hope for Eiji."

"But I still don't get what Kaidoh can do that I can't?"

Seeing the tears started to gather in his vice captain's eyes, Momoshiro gave up. "Fine, I will try my best for Eiji-senpai."

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"It's more or less what we have assumed." Tezuka said after Echizen had told him about his earlier conversation with Fuji. "I don't understand however," He added. "Why Fuji didn't take those photos to the police or to his family. It would have strengthened his credible."

Echizen sighed and shook his head. "Don't forget that Steve lives with his family and might harm them if those photos will be given to someone else than his people."

"I see…" Tezuka said softly, feeling guilty for not being aware of the great pressure on Fuji in the last days. "We better find more information about Steve. You said he had come from a very rich family. If it's true, there is only one person, who can give us the correct data."

Echizen signed tiredly. "Do we really must get him involved?"

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Yuuta spent the rest of the day in the waiting room of a local hospital, while his manager was occupying in inquiring the unlucky nurses and doctors about their captain's condition. It was a late hour when Mizuki joined him finally. "They won't let us see Akazawa today, but the doctor said that his memory would return in few days."

Yuuta stood up, "let's go then, it won't be useful if we stay. We will be able visit him tomorrow with the team."

Mizuki fisted his hand as they walked in the hospital's passes. "It's all because of your aniki and the Seigaku Regulars. In the next time, I'll make sure they will pay for what they have caused us."

Yuuta rolled his eyes. "Maybe it would have never happened if you hadn't punched my brother."

Mizuki dropped his jaw, and stared at Yuuta unbelievably. "How can you say that? For all the anxiety he has brought on your family, he deserves to be whipped."

Yuuta stopped walking suddenly when seeing a familiar person walking toward them. "Steve? How did you know where to find us?"

A sly smile was appeared on the man's face, "a friend of mine had seen you getting inside the hospital, so I came immediately to see if everything's alright with you."

Mizuki pointed on his injured eye. "Does it look alright? And it's nothing compare to our captain's condition."

Steve blinked in confusion, and Yuuta sighed, "We've brought Akazawa here after he had lost the memory during encounter with my aniki."

"Did Syusuke cause him that?"

"Syusuke and some of his teammates," Mizuki interrupted.

Steve blinked again, dropping his smile almost immediately, and turning his gaze from Yuuta to Mizuki. "Can you give me more details about those teammates?"

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Momoshiro put a sushi tray on the table and bowed. "Hope you enjoy. Kawamura did the best in making them."

"It's about time." Kenichi mumbled, and took one of the pieces. Just then a new massage came inside his cellphone. "Steve failed in getting the boy," He told to his partner. "But he sent us names and descriptions of some of his friends."

Ichiro also read the massage. "It won't be easy to find a boy with a curly black hair. They are many like them in this country, but what about the boy with the bandana? I'm almost sure that one of the kids in this restaurant was wearing this item."

"Don't tell me that you really believe that the weird kids who work here, simultaneously are those we should look for."

"Yeah, I guess, you're right."

They both stopped talking, and looked at Momoshiro who stood beside them, sweating. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Momoshiro caught himself on time, and smiled nervously. "Have to go. There is a lot of work to do at the kitchen."

Kenichi watched the leaving boy in suspicion, "I wonder what his problem is."

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Tezuka finished the call. "He agreed to help us, but only in one condition."

"As expected from him," Echizen answered, "what he wants?"

"He won't tell until we arrive to his house. He sent his limo to pick us."

"Why do I keep having a bad feeling about that?" Echizen said, shaking his head, but despite his doubt he stood up. "We should go outside and wait for the car. I'm not think that the driver is used to drive in those areas"

Echizen opened the door of his room and almost got heart attack from his cat jumping on him. "I am sorry, Karupin," Echizen said as he put him down on the floor. "I can't play with you right now. Take care on Fuji-senpai where I am not here."

"Meow" answered the cat as he watched Echizen and Tezuka leaving the room, and going down the stairs. After a while he sneaked inside the room, where Fuji was sleeping, jumped on the bed and snuggled beside him.

Latter on in the night Fuji and Karupin were both woken up when Fuji's cellphone started ringing.

TBC


End file.
